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Pakistan

• Young Christian Charged with Blasphemy

  Photo of pamphlet from All Pakistan Minorities Allicance

  According to an April 23 release by All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, on April 13 Sattar Masih was preparing for his wedding the next day when some Muslim men came to his home in Kotri, Pakistan with a piece of paper containing his picture and a hand-written note containing comments that criticized Mohammad. Sattar denied that he had written the note. When copies of the note were found posted outside a local mosque, Muslims demanded that he be arrested. Police took him into custody and tortured him in an effort to gain a confession. The next day he was charged with blasphemy under Section 295A and C. His uncle, Mushtaq Masih, was also arrested even though he clearly could not have written the note since he is illiterate. Local Christians believe the pamphlet was part of a conspiracy to incriminate Sattar.

  Pray that the truth will be revealed and that Sattar and Mushtaq will be freed. Pray for emotional strength for Sattar and his fiancée during this trying time.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan,click here.

• Five Christians Charged with Blasphemy

  Ratan Masih - Photo fromCompass Direct

  Five Christians, including a 16-year-old boy, have been falsely accused of and charged with "blasphemy" against Muhammad on April 1 in Toba Tek Singh, Punjab, according to an April 6 report from Compass Direct.

  The charges against Salamat Masih, his son Rashid (16) and his relatives Sahibah Masih Mota, Shehla Masih and Bao Masih were filed by their Muslim neighbour, Abdul Ghafar. Ghafar claimed that Salamat and Bao Masih snatched a sticker with Muhammad's face on it out of his nephew's pocket and stomped on it. He also claimed that the five Christians forcibly entered his house, armed with a pistol and wooden rods, and shouted remarks against Muhammed and abused his family.

  Local Christians say that Ghafar's report was entirely fabricated and that the true source of the conflict was an argument between Salamat Masih's 11-year-old son, Daniel and some of his Muslim playmates. The Muslim children reportedly beat Daniel when he refused to play with them. This sparked a heated confrontation between Daniel's mother and one of the Muslim families. Offended, the family reported a false case with local police.

  When local Muslims heard of the accusations of blasphemy, they attacked the Christian Colony, a Christian neighbourhood, stoning houses and injuring a number of believers. A handicapped Christian named Ratan Masih was badly beaten before police beat back the mob and rescued him.

  The five Christians have been charged under articles 295-A and 295-C. If convicted, they could face three years imprisonment, a fine and the death penalty, or life imprisonment and a fine. They have all gone into hiding except Salamat Masih, who was arrested and remains in police custody.

  Pray that the truth will come out in this situation and that all charges against these Christians will be dropped. Ask God to give healing to those injured. Pray that Christ will strengthen Pakistani Christians to follow His example and remain faithful to Him (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

  For more information on persecution in Pakistan, click here.

• Evangelists Beaten at Muslim Festival

  
  A team of four Pakistani Christian evangelists associated with The Voice of the Martyrs was attacked and beaten at a Muslim festival in Pakpattan, Pakistan on Friday, January 26.

  After handing out more than 13,000 Christian tracts, three of the evangelists were beaten by Islamic militants. They were then taken to the police station where they were detained and questioned before being released. The fourth evangelist, who was the team leader, was beaten by a mob of more than 100 Muslims. They dragged him through the crowd before taking him to the local police station. He is reportedly passing blood in his urine and stool as a result of his injuries.

  Ask God to heal these four evangelists of their injuries. Pray that their passion for Christ will be the light that draws others to Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16). Pray that Christians in Pakistan will confidently entrust themselves to Christ so that they can preach the gospel without hesitation (2 Timothy 1:7-12).

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan,click here.
• Christian Woman Jailed under Pakistan's Blasphemy Law

  Martha Bibi's lawyer (back, right) with her husband and four of her children. Photo from All Pakistan Minorities Alliance.

  Martha Bibi, a Christian woman from Kot Nanak Singg in Kasur district, Pakistan has been accused of defiling the name of Muhammad and has been charged under Pakistan's blasphemy law, Section 295C.

  Bibi and her husband rent out construction equipment. They had recently rented out tools and supplies for the construction of the Sher Rabbani mosque. When the builders failed to pay, Martha went to the construction site on January 22 to collect the money. When the workers refused to pay, she tried to retrieve the equipment but was stopped before she entered the mosque. Three men, Muhammad Ramzan, Mohammad Akram and Muhammad Dilbar beat her until some people walking by intervened.

  Later that night, the mosque's imam accused Martha of uttering blasphemous words about Muhammad and he urged local Muslims to attack Christians. Fearing for their lives, Martha and her family fled their home. Her husband, Boota Masih, and her six children escaped to a neighbour's house but Martha was captured and arrested. Martha is imprisoned at the Changa Manga police station awaiting trial. Her family remains in hiding for their protection.

  Ask God to bring Scripture verses of comfort to Martha's mind during her imprisonment (Psalm 119:49-56).  Pray for the protection of her husband and children. Pray that Christians in Pakistan will follow Christ's example and entrust themselves to the One who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). Pray that all charges against Martha will be dropped and that she will be released.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan,click here.

• Elderly Men Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison

  James Masih and Buta Masih Pictures fromCompass Direct

  James Masih (65) and Buta Masih (70), two Pakistani Christians who were arrested on October 9 on blasphemy charges (click here for more details), have been sentenced to a prison term of ten years and a fine of 25,000 rupees ($465 CAD).

  The prison verdict was delivered during a closed hearing at Faisalabad's Anti-Terrorism Court on November 25. The Christians' defense lawyer, Khalil Tahir Sindu, responded to the verdict by stressing that his clients were innocent and that there was a lack of direct evidence against them. Sindu also noted that, by law, blasphemy charges of this nature warrant a life sentence. Their shorter sentence, he believes, was a clear signal that the judge considers the two men innocent, but felt pressured to rule against them to satisfy Muslim militants. He intends to appeal the sentences before the High Court in Lahore within the coming week.

  Pray that God will give James and Buta comfort during their imprisonment. Pray that He will give them opportunities in prison to share the gospel for which they suffer (Colossians 4:2-3). Pray that Pakistani Christians will have the patience to entrust true justice into the hands of God (Romans 12:17-21).

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan,click here.

• Ranjha Masih Acquitted Ranjha Masih (58), a Pakistani Christian who has been in solitary confinement on blasphemy charges for eight years, was acquitted on November 10 due to lack of any solid evidence against him. Masih was arrested on May 8, 1998 for allegedly damaging an Islamic signboard and was sentenced to life in prison in April 2003 (for details, click here). He has been waiting for three years to have his appeal heard by the courts. Masih is scheduled for release on November 14 after the "bureaucratic requirements" have been sorted out. He has recently received death threats and will be kept in hiding by the Christian community as soon as he is released. Please pray for Ranjha Masih's protection from the Muslim vigilantes.
• Elderly Men Accused of Blasphemy

  Police in Faisalabad, Pakistan have arrested two Catholic men on blasphemy charges, according to an October 9 report from AsiaNews. The two men, James and Buta Masih, both 70, allegedly burned pages from the Quran even though their accusers did not see them commit the act. The illiterate men were burning what they believed were merely scrap papers. A local Muslim, Arshad Mubarak, claimed that pages from the Quran were included. A local priest, Yaqoob Yousaf, said the plaintiff had been trying to get James Masih to sell his house but to no avail and that the accusations were an act of retribution.

  Pray that all charges will be dropped against the men. Remember the many Christians suffering in Pakistani prisons on similar false charges.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan,click here.
• Ranjha Masih Facing Intense Pressure

  In April 2003, Ranjha Masih was sentenced to life in prison for allegedly damaging an Islamic signboard in 1998 (click here to read more). According to an October 6 report from Jubilee Campaign, Ranjha is facing intense pressure from guards and fellow prisoners to convert to Islam and is suffering from deteriorating health and discouragement. Pray for Ranjha's emotional and physical health. Also pray that his long-standing appeal will be heard and that he will be acquitted.

• Christian Villagers Attacked in Land Dispute

  After extensive flooding of the Ravi River in 1988 destroyed several villages, fifty-five Christian families and twelve Muslim families formed the village of Moman Pura Thaiki near the Pakistani city of Lahore. Investigations determined that there was no owner of the land, so they proceeded to build mud huts to live. In 2000, the Christians began building a place of worship. When Yaqoob Maher, a Muslim from a neighbouring village, heard that the Christians were erecting a church building, he petitioned the local court to stop the construction. Maher has strong ties to the local government and chief of police and was able to produce forged documents laying claim to the land. The court determined that Maher's documents were forgeries and he was sentenced to six months in prison.

  As years passed and the village was built up, Maher's determination to take control of the village grew. Finally, on August 7, he and twelve armed men attacked the village. They destroyed the door and windows of the church building and seriously injured at least three local Christians. When the Christians attempted to file a police report, they were threatened and insulted by the police and thrown out of the police station. Using his contacts, Maher filed a police report against several of the Christians that accused them of opening fire on him.

  Members of two organizations representing Christians in Pakistan - CLAAS and Sharing Life Ministries Pakistan (SLMP) - heard of the incident and managed to lodge a complaint against Maher. Just as they left the village on August 12, however, Maher's cohorts returned, assaulted a number of Christians and burned down the church building and two nearby homes. They also stole twenty-five head of cattle and one Christian man, Bashir Masih, was abducted. Masih lives in the home adjacent to the church building. When he tried to resist the attackers, he was badly beaten and his house was ransacked. He is still missing. Police took two hours to arrive at the scene.

  Christians in Pakistan and many other Muslim areas frequently receive significantly different treatment from the authorities because of their religious beliefs. Muslim police officers will often overtly support the persecutors and their actions.

  Ask God to influence the police to provide the level of protection that these Christians need. Pray also that they will display the love of Christ to their Muslim neighbors and trust God to avenge them as He sees fit (Romans 12:17-21). Pray that the actions of Yaqoob Maher will be thwarted. Also pray for the family of the kidnapped believer. Pray that he will be allowed to safely return home.

  For more information on Pakistan and the situation facing Christians there,click here.

• Rape Victim Harrassed by Accused

  In September 2005, Ribqa Masih was kidnapped, drugged and repeatedly raped over a period of several days. Her captors threatened to kill her if she did not convert to Islam (click here for more details). One of the two men accused was denied bail and is currently in custody. The other man, Muhammad Kashif, initially fled the courthouse when he was denied bail. He was later recaptured but was released on bail in December because of illness. According to a July 7 report from Compass Direct, Kashif now lives only a few blocks away from Ribqa and has repeatedly threatened her and her father, insisting that they drop the case against him. Continue to pray for Ribqa and her family.